COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTIONThe first bottling of the 2008 vintage came from one barrel... A Pappy Van Winkle barrel that held Bourbon for 23 years. We have 7 more of these barrels ranging in age from 17 to 23 years. The next bottling is a blend of three of these barrels. The blend which will be marked ’2nd bottling’ or something to that effect so they can be identified. The remaining 4 barrels will be split into draft and yet a third bottling. The 2009 Eclipse will be aging longer than the 2008. The 2008 aged for 180 days and the 4 remaining barrels are most likely going to hit 225 days. We are brewing the base Imperial Stout in March allowing us even further aging time prior to it’s mid-December release... The amount produced will increase from 17bbls to 34bbls for ’09.

Several different releases including unwaxed, "Brewers Reserve", Pinkish Wax. Available starting Late Fall 2008.

FoBAB 2008 offering: #203 - Another offering from Todd I got to enjoy and it looks like this falls into being rating #300 as I go through the backlog from the RB downtime. Pours a ruby over mignight hue with little to no head. Aromas are fitting of the style, Bourbon and oak mixed with toasted malt, chocolate, and vanilla. Taste verifies: Burnt malt mixing well with chocolate, vanilla, and lighter coffee notes. Moves into more oaky and bourbon finish. Not really too boozy. Cheers!

Thanks a ton to turdferguson for sharing. Pours a dark black with a chestnut head. The nose is nice, great balance between the bourbon and oak character and the base RIS, chocolate, roasty, a little earthy, mild tobacco. Excellent balance in the flavor, an almost perfect presentation of the bourbon and barrel over the stout, some tobacco comes through in the flavor, rich, warming alcohol, a little earthy, chocolate. Nice thick warming palate. Great stout.

Really nice Pappy version-courtesy of dionysus at RBWG 2011-Phoenix. Pours dark brown with tan head. Aroma has beautiful bourbon aroma which is understated, if that’s possible. Sweet malt and bourbon flavors with a little heat. Full bodied and creamy texture. Finish is all bourbon. This is a good beer, but other concurred that GI Rare was a bit better. AP: 4/5 Ar: 9/10 T: 8/10 P:3/5 O:17/20

"based on how amazing this year’s grand cru and elijah craig 18 are, and how much i like pappy, i think this has faded over the last three years. that said, still pretty damn good. aroma heavy on chocolate, coffee, and bourbon. flavor has a bit of dark fruit and vanilla in there as well. juuuust a bid muddled, comparatively, to the best of the 2011 batch. wish i’d have had this is 2009, but whadya gonna do?"

Join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community.
Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings.
Click here to create your account... and give your opinion!